Massive Bean Piles Spotted Up And Down Mississippi River As Barges Can’t Meet Harvest Demand

Bean and other farm goods are piling up at farms up and down the Mississippi River as barges can’t be fully loaded due to dangerously low water levels. Barges have reduced weight to improve the draft, which means less availability and unable to meet harvest demand. 

Due to a barge shortage, some farmers have no choice but to store beans and other farm goods outside in massive piles. Twitter user “Will Nicholson” captured footage of an enormous bean pile west of Memphis, Tennessee. 

Cgb west Memphis bean pile 10/12/22 pic.twitter.com/7wJYpyhiLt

— will nicholson (@wpnicholson3) October 12, 2022

Another person took a picture of a bean pile in Tunica, Mississippi. 

Tarp on the bean pile in Tunica, MS. pic.twitter.com/9TRQXWl1dF

— Jason Wheeler (@hog_wheeler) October 12, 2022

One person said: 

“I’m hearing of lots of beans being piled on the ground along the lower Mississippi due to no barge traffic. It’s a regular occurrence here in SESD… but we are prepared with pads/bunks/air/tarps. Some warm and wet weather down south and I see very bad things happening.” 

Someone tweeted an image that some farmers were resorting to trucks rather than barges as traffic on the Mississippi ground to a halt last week. 

Mississippi River is so low it is closed to barge traffic so the farmers trying to unload their harvest can’t.. our farmers have really taken a beating this year. pic.twitter.com/ItI3FGmfkA

— StringBean01 (@Bean01String) October 9, 2022

Here’s a shocking image of the dried-up Mississippi River. 

This picture is from Vicksburg Mississippi. In normal times, the water would be up to the dock. pic.twitter.com/8RJLEVmein

— Jordan Fife (@JordanFife1) October 12, 2022

… and here’s another one. 

Did we mention barge prices on the Mississippi have hyperinflated due to vessel scarcity? 

Most of these beans and other farm goods were slated for major export terminals in the Gulf of Mexico. How long can these freshly harvested crops be piled up outside until they go bad?